Don’t let autumn bugs get you down

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aches and pains, antibiotics, autumn, awake, bed, bin, bones, chemist, chillier months, common cold, Coughs and colds, difficulty swallowing, do not suffer in silence, feel terrible, fever, flu, germs, good sleep patterns, GP, Hand washing, health, health concerns, healthy diet, high fever, hot water bottle, Ill, increased anxiety, infected and inflamed, kids, lots of water, lower moods, mental health, over-the-counter painkillers, painful and swollen glands, raw throat, rest, sad, school, seasons, sharp, Sick bugs, sneeze, sorry for yourself, soups and smoothies, sunshine, symptoms, temperature, the elderly, throat infections, tired, tissue, tonsillitis, tonsils, upset tunnies, vaccination, vapour rub, virus, Vitamin D supplement, vomit, vomiting, white spots, young children

Autumn is a beautiful time of the year, but the changing seasons, and the kids going back to school, means it also comes with a wave of health concerns. While a healthy diet, lots of water, good sleep patterns and exercise can keep you fit, bugs do come along so we have had a look at what they are, and what you can do to get things under control.

Coughs and colds
Coughs and colds make a sharp come back in the chillier months of the year and while they make you feel tired and sorry for yourself, fortunately they aren’t that bad and do go away. The common cold can’t be treated with antibiotics, so you don’t need to see your GP, and you can treat the aches and pains with over the counter painkillers. Keep fluids up, drink soups and smoothies, use a vapour rub and get some rest. Do remember to use a tissue to catch germs when you sneeze and cough and then bin the tissue and wash your hands to stop passing onto others.

Flu
If you have flu you will know it as you will feel terrible for several weeks. Flu can be serious for young children, the elderly, and anyone with a respiratory illness or disease. Flu gives you bad muscle aches and pains that prevent you from getting out of bed, you have a high fever, a raw throat and cough that can keep you awake at night. Again, there is no cure, but you can have the vaccination, which is free for vulnerable groups, otherwise it’s painkillers, rest, a hot water bottle and lots of fluids. If things do get really bad and your symptoms aren’t easing, speak to your GP and just check that you don’t have anything more serious.

Mental health
As the nights draw in, the hours of sunshine decrease and the cold hits our bones, some of us may well experience lower moods, increased anxiety and SAD. A healthy diet, exercise, time outside and a vitamin D supplement can help. If you feel down and just can’t shake this off, contact your GP and see if you can talk to someone and look at the options, but do not suffer in silence.

Sick bugs
Some viruses at this time of year will cause upset tunnies, vomiting, or both, which are pretty miserable, so stay in bed and rest up. Hand washing is the best way to prevent the spread of the virus, and you shouldn’t return to work or school until 48 hours after things have cleared.

Throat infections
Viral infections can cause sore throats that then become infected and inflamed. You can use painkillers from the chemist, but if you have difficulty swallowing, a temperature, painful and swollen glands, or white spots on your tonsils, you may have tonsillitis so will need to see your GP.

So, eat well, drink water, get lots of rest and keep the bugs away as much as you can.

Team Pure Beauty

Get Fresh Faced for Autumn

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acne or breakout prone skin, air, autumn, boots, botanical oils, build-up, combination or problematic skin, complexion, creamy cleanser, daily dirt, Decleor Bi-phase Caring Cleanser and Makeup Remover, deep clean, Dermalogica Essential Cleansing Solution, Dermalogica Foaming Wash, Dermalogica Skin Resurfacing Cleanser, drier and prematurely-ageing skin, dry, Elemis Balancing Lime Blossom Cleanser, energises, Essential C and E Vitamins, excess oils, face, flipflops, floral water, Jan Marini C-ESTA Cleansing Gel, Lactic Acid concentrate, lather, lemon, light, love, make-up, moisture levels, moisturiser, Natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant ingredients, non-sticky texture, pleasure, potent Vitamin C cleanser, purify, refreshes, remove, repair and balance, revolutionary, rich, Rose Flower Oil, rosemary, Safflower Oil, scientific blend, season, sensitive skin, sharper, shorter, smile, sunroof, sweatshirts, teenagers, temperamental, tight, Toner, Vitamin E, Waterproof mascara, weather, wipe out, world class cleansers

With the air turning sharper and the days getting shorter, we might still be wearing flip-flops and driving with the sunroof down, but it would seem that autumn is on the way. As well as bringing out those favourite sweatshirts and boots, now is also time to think about your complexion as the season changes.

At Pure Beauty we sell some world-class cleansers which will ensure you are ready for autumn and today we are looking at just a handful and hope there will be one which is right for you.

If your face is feeling tight and dry, why not ease things up with the Dermalogica Essential Cleansing Solution? This rich, creamy cleanser nourishes dry skin and sweeps away impurities, but those all-important moisture levels are maintained. Essential C and E Vitamins have been combined with Safflower Oil, Rosemary and Lemon, which together help condition and refresh your skin and leave it ready for your toner and mosituriser to do their thing.

If you want to repair and balance combination or problematic skin, you need the help of the outstanding Elemis Balancing Lime Blossom Cleanser. Extracts of Lime Blossom, Lecithin (aka Vitamin F) and Vitamin E help balance excess oils and soothe the skin while removing the build-up of daily dirt as well as make-up. The light, non-sticky texture makes this cleaner a pleasure to use and the results make it even easier to love.

For teenagers with acne or breakout prone skin that can be even more temperamental as the weather changes, we have the excellent Dermalogica Foaming Wash, which is part of the Clear Start range. Not only does this deep clean and purify the skin, it also energises and refreshes it all without stripping those key natural essential oils. Natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant ingredients have been blended together and when massaged into wet skin the formula breaks up dead skin cells and clears away trapped oil which helps wipe out existing and future breakouts. Phew!

If you are looking for lather when you cleanse, look no further than the Jan Marini C-ESTA Cleansing Gel. This outstanding, potent Vitamin C cleanser is suitable for all skin type and the luxurious lather helps soothe and protect your skin. As this cleanser is highly concentrated, only a small amount is needed morning and night to see results which will make you smile.

The Decleor Bi-phase Caring Cleanser and Makeup Remover is a new cleanser on the beauty block and one which is powered by a scientific blend of botanical oils and floral water. Impressed? We think you will be. The ‘revolutionary’ formula cleanses your skin, removes you make-up (even waterproof mascara cannot escape) and also plumps and soothes even the most sensitive skin so it is soft and radiant once again.

Time for one last recommendation and we think the Dermalogica Skin Resurfacing Cleanser deserves a mention. Regular use of this product will help drier and prematurely ageing skin become super smooth and ultra-clean. The Lactic Acid concentrate re-textures skin, antioxidant Vitamin E conditions and Rose Flower Oil gets to work calming the pesky sensitivity that can really get you down. What’s not to like?

If you’d like further details about these, or any of the products we sell, get in touch today and our team would love to help.

Pure Beauty

Super charge your summer wardrobe

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80s, Adidas, ankle cowboy boots, arm candy, autumn, big, bright bolds, cats-eye sunglasses, catwalk, chunky, coloured, cool vibe, cropped fitted trousers, cut, dad trainers, denim jacket, dog tooth trousers, dots, Down-to-earth, dress, dresses, Edward Enninfu, Fun florals, gorgeous, grab, granny style cardies, head to toe, High Street, inexpensive, jumpsuits, kudos, length, lightweight trench, luxe track pants, morning after, moulded sports shoes, night before, Nike, patterns, pencil skirts, pink, polka dot, Princess Di, prints, rain or shine, raincoat, shades, shops, sliders, small, Stella MacCartney, stripes, sun, thermals, tops, UK, Vicky B, waist-cinching A-line style, wardrobe, weather, wrap skirt, yellow

The weather is still a little unpredictable on UK shores at the best of time, but it only takes the sun coming out for a couple of hours for us to start putting the thermals away and consider our summer staples.

We have had a look at what’s hot this summer so you can look totally gorgeous come rain or shine.

Go dotty
From the catwalk to the High Street, dots are big (and small) for the summer. Princess Di’s polka dot obsession can be seen on everything from jumpsuits and tops to dresses and pumps and if you have a thing for the ‘80s, they will serve you well.

Bag it up
Forget structured totes, sunny times call for a whole new kind of arm candy. Down-to-earth, inexpensive fabric cross body bags, raffia baskets and string shoppers are slightly retro but come with a cool vibe that will last right thought to the autumn.

Shades
This summer is all about cats-eye sunglasses, and we love them. They are smaller than the Vicky B super-sized sunnies of summers past, but are face-flattering and still big enough to hide the fun of the night before, the morning after.

Cover up
Put the puffa away and when the showers show up, reach in your bag for a lightweight trench or shake things up by going for a bright pink or yellow raincoat for extra kudos. If you want something a little different, the shops are fully of granny style cardies in a range of shades and textures that you can grab as you go.

Go faster
If you haven’t noticed stripes in the shops, where have you been? Go faster blasts, can be seen on everything from dog-tooth trousers to luxe track pants and designer hoodies. Don’t covert the look from head to toe, that would be total totally OTT, but go for one piece and match with bright bolds and you will be leader of the pack.

Dress it up
Summer isn’t summer without at least one new dress in your wardrobe. Fun florals, patterns and prints are all out there, just work out which cut and length is right for you, team with sliders and a denim jacket, and you have a look that even Edward Enninful would approve of.

It’s all about the dad trainers
You might not believe us, but Adidas, Nike and Stella MacCartney are all over the dad trainer this summer. Think chunky, coloured, moulded sports shoes and you have the perfect summer style to match with cropped fitted trousers and floaty pastel dresses.

It’s a wrap
Last but by no means least, we need to talk about the wrap skirt. This versatile staple has made a come-back from 1992 and we like it. Put the pencil skirts away, and swap them for a maxi-wrap in soft jersey, or a waist-cinching A-line style, match with a sharp white tee and you have a celebrity look in seconds.

With a pair of ankle cowboy boots, a dab of peach blush and plenty of sunblock on standby, you are ready to go forth and stand out in the fashion stakes this summer.

Team Pure Beauty

Add value to your house before you sell it

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a thing, armchair, autumn, bathroom, bean bags, best price, bigger and brighter, brass letterbox, brightens, buyers, carpets cleaned, clutter, coat of paint, cramped and small, curtains, cushions, Decluttering, designer makeovers, doorknob, dust free doors, estate agents, expense, expensive extensions, finances, fix the windows, front door, gardener, gutters tidied, home, house, house numbers, investment, kitchen, lights, luxury, minimal, Off whites, old newspapers, outside, pale greys, piles of plastic toys, power clean the drive, pretty baskets, properties, recycle, room, rugs, ruthless, selling your home, shampoo bottles, skirting boards, sofa, soft shade, stacks of books, summer, tidy, utility room, walls, warmth, Wash the walls, windows cleaned

With the summer coming to and end and autumn on the horizon, what better time to consider selling your home.

As well as speaking to estate agents, searching online for new properties and looking at your finances, you may also want to make some adjustments to your house to make it as marketable as possible and to help secure the best price.

We aren’t talking about designer makeovers or expensive extensions, but small changes that can have a big impact.

Make it clean
While potential buyers need to be able to visual your home as theirs, you need to make it as easy as possible for them to do so, which means offering a clean slate. Wash the walls, have the windows cleaned, gutters tidied, carpets cleaned and if needed, get a gardener to tidy up outside. Yes, it is an investment but one you will reap back.

Take the clutter away
Decluttering has become quite ‘a thing’ and that’s because it works. Go through your house room by room and well as ensuring you have dust free doors, lights and skirting boards, clear the house of old newspapers, stacks of books, piles of plastic toys and half empty shampoo bottles. Be ruthless and throw away, give away and recycle anything you just don’t want or need. For anything left and remaining in the house, either box up and put in the loft or tidy away neatly in cupboards or pretty baskets.

A coat of paint
If you have lived in a property for many years, the walls can take a battering and buyers will notice this. A fresh coat of paint instantly brightens any room and if you go for a soft shade you will add a sense of warmth and luxury to your house. Off whites and pale greys are not only on trend but also work well with most furnishings, making it appealing to people looking round.

Make space
Once you have a clean, clear canvas you can look at how you are using space. Yes, right now you love having a massive sofa, armchair and bean bags in the living room – but this will make the room look cramped and small – not what you are trying to convey. We aren’t saying go minimal, but clearing away large pieces of furniture, opening the curtains and having the right lighting can make a massive difference.

Look at the front door
If you have taken the time to fix the windows, power clean the drive and trim the hedges, you don’t want to fall down with a dodgy front door. If it’s really bad consider fitting a new one, otherwise clean it down, paint it and add a new doorknob, brass letterbox or smart house number and the difference can be well worth the effort.

Small touches
When you have viewings, first of all make sure the house is spotlessly clean and if possible, go out and let the agent show buyers around – this is especially true for a first viewing. Having flowers, or house plants, can have a real impact on the look and the feel of your property, and rod diffusers placed strategically in rooms like the kitchen, bathroom and utility room can be a good idea. Mirrors will reflect light and make the place look bigger and brighter, rugs and cushions offer a homely feel and those stories of freshly baked bread….they are true!

If you do sell, we wish you lots of luck!

Team Pure-Beauty

Five Super Soups for Autumn

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autumn, bacon, chicken, cold, comfort, decleor, dermalogica, ham, minerals, nutrition, pea, soup, tomato, vitamin A, Vitamin C, wild rice, winter

One of the best things about the changing seasons is the different produce which becomes available and now that the weather is starting to cool down, our thoughts are turning to comfort foods. Soups are excellent in so many ways; not only are they warming and comforting, they’re easy to make, use fresh ingredients and can help us to get several of our five-a-day in one meals. We’ve got five suggestions for seasonal super soups which contain huge amounts of nutrition for our skin and hair whilst making you feel like you’re getting a hug in your bowl!

Butternut Squash with Chilli and Crème Fraiche

Butternut squash is the perfect example of a tasty seasonal offering and epitomises autumn for us here at Pure Beauty. As well as offering an enormous amount of Vitamin A (over 200% of your RDA in just 100g!), the hint of chilli will give you a warming boost and the crème fraiche will give you a creamy touch and a calcium boost without adding millions of unwanted calories.

Tomato Soup with a Grilled Cheese Sandwich

This is probably one of the simplest yet most popular suggestions for soup and is packed with essential vitamins and minerals. The grilled cheese may not be the lowest-calorie option but it won’t hurt to indulge every now and again and the tomatoes contain lots of vitamin C, which is important for cell growth and skin healing.

Pea and Ham Soup

This retro-tastic soup may not be such a popular option these days but you can bring it up to modern day by using split peas and a whole load of bacon! The beauty of soup is that you can add pretty much anything you want to make it to your taste and the saltiness of the extra bacon combined with the freshness of the peas will combine to make a flavour explosion.

Sweet Potato Soup

Sweet potato is another amazing ingredient to use as the base of a soup as it contains a whole load of vitamins and minerals, and gives a sweetness which can be built upon to create an amazing flavour. Experiment with flavours and textures such as avocado and kidney beans for a truly different and tasty creation.

Chicken And Wild Rice Soup

No list of soups is complete without a chicken soup on it, but we’ve gone for something a little different to the usual plain old cream of chicken soup. Chicken and Wild Rice soup has a delicious flavour, a creaminess thanks to the starchy rice and is also super filling and packed with protein. It’s really simple to make and contains at least three of your five-a-day in just one bowl!